Category Archives: FORCE

I just finished watching a video from TEDMED 2012 of a presentation given by Dr. Ivan Oransky. In the video, he speaks about predisease states. The presentation seemed interesting, at first, as he talked about many preconditions and the underlying issues of over treatment that can cause unnecessary harm to patients. He raised some good points.

6 minutes into the video, he began his discussion of “previvors”. I’m saddened at his lack of knowledge and insensitivity to women and men who have a known genetic mutation. When I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at age 36, I went through genetic counseling and testing. Through this counseling and testing, I learned of my BRCA 2 mutation–the mutation that significantly increased my lifetime risk of both Breast and Ovarian Cancer. I quickly became involved in a wonderful organization called FORCE. FORCE coined the term previvor, and I am so thankful for what this organization has contributed to the lives of both women and men living with a BRCA mutation. FORCE has saved lives by increasing awareness, providing support, providing education, and providing a community for men and women affected by a hereditary cancer mutation.

Sadly, I know too many young women that learned too late about this mutation. These were mothers, sisters, daughters and friends that left us far too early because of a cancer diagnosis.

Dr. Oransky, I encourage you to learn more before you laugh off the term previvor, before you suggest that Mark Burnett start another TV show. You are talking about beautiful women who are taking measures to save their lives. Beautiful women who deserve to live. I am lucky to know so many previvors who are living wonderfully productive lives because knowledge gave them the power to escape a cancer diagnosis.

Dr. Oransky, I hope you will learn more about hereditary cancer mutations, about previvors, and about this wonderful organization that continues to save lives.

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On March 27, in just one week, I will celebrate my 41st birthday. Birthdays are meaningful to me–especially this one. I was 36 when I was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. This year I turn 41 and celebrate 5 years of survivorship. I feel so lucky to celebrate another birthday. Sadly, there are far too many women that don’t make it to 41. Yes, breast cancer is still stealing young lives, and I am committed to do what I can to stop that in its tracks. For my 41st birthday or just because, please join me in my fight to put an end to breast cancer.

This year, I have two ways for you to help. Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered has just launched a hereditary cancer research fund–the goal of the fund is to specifically look at the issues surrounding hereditary cancer. I’ve said goodbye to many amazing women who have faced cancer because of a genetic mutation. The research is absolutely critical, and I’m asking for your help. The goal in year 1 is to raise $100,000 to begin funding this important research. With your help, FORCE can get there.

In August, as I officially celebrate 5 years as a survivor, I will also proudly walk with over 40 men and women on Ta Ta Breast Cancer in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure. I am proud to say, we are under $70,000 away from raising $500,000 since I first formed the team in 2008.

Please help me celebrate 41 years. Many small donations will add up to so much for both of these organizations. Together, we can say goodbye to breast cancer forever.

In less than 1 week, I will celebrate my 40th birthday. Many people have asked me how I feel about turning 40 and I can honestly say, I’m excited. Getting older beats the alternative and unfortunately, I know far too many people who haven’t had the opportunity to celebrate a 40th birthday. I’m lucky beyond belief and I’m taking this week to reflect back on my 30s and where I am today. My family and close friends have asked what they can buy me for birthday. And I can really only think of one thing that money can buy that would make me very happy. It’s not immediate gratification. The results take time but we are seeing the results every day. I know with perseverance, great brains and the power of people, we can and will make my dream come true. I’m asking for an end to breast cancer, an end to the pain of chemotherapy and surgery, an end to suffering the great trauma and loss of losing a loved one. If you are one of my friends or family that wants to know what I want for my birthday, I’ll make it easy for you. You can contribute to my 3-day journey to end breast cancer or you can make a contribution to FORCE, an organization that is working very hard for me and so many others.

This is my second post in one week. Pretty certain you’re reading this and running in the other direction wondering what I want you to do now. I know, every time I post, I’m asking for you to do something but this one is really important (OK they are all really important). But this one is really really important and can seriously impact lives. Representative Deborah Wasserman Schultz introduced #HR1522 legislation into Congress which will establish Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer awareness week and make Wednesday of that week National Previvor Day. We need 100 co-sponsors in the house by August 2 and right now we have 20.

Please take action quickly for my good friend Sue Friedman–who left a career as a vet to start FORCE over a decade ago. Take action for so many of my friends who’ve learned they have a BRCA mutation and have taken preventative measures before they’ve gotten a cancer diagnosis. Take action for way too many women who are battling metastatic disease because they found their cancer too late or had a recurrence. Take action for all the young women diagnosed with cancer because BRCA strikes younger women and is much more aggressive. Take action for the young girls in our lives who need to know about hereditary cancer so they can live long, healthy cancer-free lives. Take action now because August 2nd is quickly approaching.

If you regularly read my blog, you know that I am very passionate about a lot of organizations, but there are two in particular that are nearest and dearest to my heart. One is Susan G. Komen–the organization dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer.

The other organization is quite a bit smaller and in the shadow of the biggies but no less important. It’s called FORCE and their mission is to improve the lives of people affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. It was started by a wonderful woman who cares deeply about this cause and who works tirelessly to make a difference in our community. FORCE has helped me, but more importantly I’ve seen the masses of women who have come to challenging crossroads in their lives and have persevered with the support of FORCE. I’ve sat in local meetings and watched women tearfully talk about how alone they felt before they discovered the support of FORCE.

FORCE has some important roles in our community. First and foremost, FORCE has the ability, through local outreach coordinators all over the country, to provide support on an individual and group level to women who are navigating the complex world of hereditary cancer. In addition to the local support groups, the message boards provide a safe-haven for women to come together. And the toll-free 1-800 number is a place for people to turn when they don’t know where else to go.

Second, FORCE advocates for the hereditary cancer community–taking on issues such as GINA to make sure our rights are protected and we cannot be discrimated against for our genetic make-up.

And last, FORCE helps raise awareness of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer so that women can learn of a cancer causing genetic mutation, take preventative measures and avoid a cancer diagnosis.

Have I convinced you enough how much I care about and love this organization? If I have, please take a few seconds to vote for FORCE in the Chase Community Giving Challenge. If you have another few seconds to spare, post it on your Facebook page, tweet it and share it with your friends. We have the opportunity to win a grand prize of $250,000, one of 4 runner up prizes of $100,000 or one of 195 $20,000 prizes. With your help, we can make this a reality.

Yes I’m usually pretty focused on breast cancer. But there are many other causes that are important to me. Today, in particular, I’m focused on The Friendship Circle–a remarkable organization that touches the lives of kids with special needs. Why today? Because beginning in a few short hours, the Friendship Circle has an opportunity to win $1,000,000 in the Chase Community Giving event. All it takes is your vote. The effort they’ve put forth in promoting this opportunity is similar to the way they do everything and indicative of the talent and the time put into this organization. Every year I participate in their annual walk and have an opportunity to visit the building. I hear the passion in Bassie’s voice as she shares the accomplishments of the year. I listen to my friends share stories of how this organization impacts their life. And I am happy to support and share in the wonderful experience. It just takes a minute to vote and a couple extra minutes to remind your friends to vote. Let’s watch Friendship Circle continue to do great things.

Last week I had the opportunity to join a great group of women on a panel to talk about the new breast cancer screening guidelines put out by the USPTF. I sat at the table with Senator Gilda Jacobs, Dr. Ruth Lerman—a breast care specialist and 3 time breast cancer survivor—and Dr. Karen Hunt, Breast Imaging Site Director at Henry Ford Hospital. The event was hosted by the Cancer Thrivers Network for Jewish Women and moderated by another young breast cancer survivor and member of the Cancer Thrivers Network, Elizabeth Schiff Barash. We all brought our unique point of views and expertise to the panel and I’m so thankful to the thrivers for putting this panel together so quickly.

It’s been 6 weeks since the USPTF released their new guidelines. I often wonder if they envisioned the uproar and discussion their release would create. It took the online communities through the blogosphere, news sites and social networks minutes to start posting opposition and opinions on the new guidelines. There was no need to wait and hear more from them. Their guidelines, as they released them on that November day, were clear. If you were under 50 without knowledge of a family history, your best bet was to hope that the big “C” didn’t strike. Because if it did, you would have no way of knowing until it was staring you in the face and was perhaps too late. No mammograms, no need for breast self-exams and no clinical breast exams. Talk about anxiety that unnecessary biopsies create, how about the anxiety of the woman that discovers stage 4 breast cancer when her cancer should have/could have been discovered earlier?

We’ve spent 25 years educating women on the importance of routine mammograms beginning at age 40 and we’ve spent even longer touting the importance of breast self-exams. Just recently, Deborah Wasserman Schultz introduced the EARLY Act which is designed to educate even younger women—specifically women under 40 about the importance of early detection. Early detection of breast cancer saves lives and no one can deny that fact.

So why do we have these new guidelines? And what do they mean? Will laws change? Will insurance companies change coverage? Will women start pushing their mammograms later and later? Will we no longer learn how to do a breast self-exam? Will doctors continue to do clinical breast exams or will those go away? I’m sure any of these scenarios are possible but for me, the scariest, is that women will actually listen to these guidelines. Maybe not at first but when the chatter quiets down, people may start to push their screenings later and later. They may start to ignore years of advice to check their breasts. And guess what, more women will die of breast cancer.

So where does this take me? Clearly I disagree with the guidelines. And yes I’m angry, borderline furious, but I see this as an opportunity to start a conversation and make a difference. We can make sure that the women in our life understand that mammograms, breast self-exams and clinical breast exams are just as important today as they were on November 16. We can sign petitions put out by FORCE and Susan G. Komen to make our voices heard and make sure all women have access to mammograms beginning at age 40. We can push for better diagnostic tools to detect cancer even earlier, and we can advocate for our own health by doing breast self-exams, getting proper clinical breast exams and continuing on with our yearly screenings.

I’ve spent a lot of time in the past month thinking about hereditary cancer issues. Last Friday, I spoke to the Michigan Cancer Genetics Alliance about FORCE. And in between, I’ve had two FORCE outreach meetings. In speaking to the MCGA, I communicated my concern with the lack of awareness of both hereditary cancer and the importance of Genetics Counselors in the process. Through my interactions with many of them, I know that they have similar concerns. They had some nice suggestions of various groups within Michigan that may help me take on this issue. I talk to women everyday who don’t know they are at risk and don’t know what to do if they are at risk. Clearly I fit in the “didn’t know I was at risk” category. We’ve come along way through organizations like FORCE and Be Bright Pink but we still have a long way to go.

FORCE coined a term to give people with a hereditary cancer genetic mutation a name.

At my most recent FORCE meeting, I met a woman who’s sister was diagnosed with DCIS (stage 0 breast cancer). Prior to this diagnosis, she had no idea that she was a risk for a BRCA mutation. She tried to get genetic testing but her insurance company turned her down. 6 months later her sister was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and 1 year later is back with more cancer. Could this be avoided? This is just one of many stories I hear. How can we make sure that more women have the knowledge they need to ultimately avoid a cancer diagnosis? Do we need a specific week devoted to hereditary cancer awareness? I need your help, my readers, to make sure that we are able to inform, educate and spread the word. We are a small but mighty group and we can do this together. Post some comments and let me know how you think we can make an impact.

In honor of my 100th blog post, I’ve started a list of 100 things to share about cancer. I actually thought a lot about this list. I didn’t want to bore with you with lots of useless facts. Haven’t found 100 organizations that I love and while I’ve met lots of cool people through my journey, I can’t think of 100 to highlight. This is a combination list and includes really cool organization, some interesting facts and statistics, great doctors, some cool people I’ve met along the way and anything else random I can share with you. I hope you find some of the links and facts within this post helpful. Please note: I am not a doctor–just a survivor involved in the breast cancer world.

I’ll start with really cool organizations. Some I know pretty intimately and some I just know on the surface. Regardless, they are all worth checking out and have some pretty great people involved.

As I was developing this list, I realized that I have a ton of great people reading my blog who could provide some additional input into my list of 100 so I’ve left room in the list–I have about 10 left. Any organizations you love, doctors you trust, must-read books, new things you’ve learned, tidbits that we can all share. The more we can help eachother out, the better we can fight. So go ahead and post a comment, help me complete my list of 100.

Additions to the list

Thanks Molly, Patty, Kim, Laurie and Alyssa for adding some great sites and tips to check out by posting a comment. Keep em coming….

Unbeatable – a musical about breast cancer. I need to know when they are coming to Detroit. Looks pretty darn funny. Check out the description I pulled from their website and the very cute image.

UNBEATABLE! juxtaposes the gravity of a cancer diagnosis with optimism, hopefulness and a keen sense of humor. The message of UNBEATABLE! is universal and applies to anyone who goes through life at full speed, without realizing that in the end, it is the people we love in our lives, not the “to do” lists, that deserve our time and attention.

I’ve posted before about the importance of the EARLY Act. FORCE is submitting a wonderful letter showing their support and I urge you to add your name to the letter. Feel free to read the full letter or some of my other breast cancer posts on this topic to understand the importance of the EARLY Act. If you would like your name added to the letter, just email info@facingourrisk.org and type EARLY in the subject line.